SIBU: With a bit of jitters, SK Bandaran No. 2 headmaster Thomas Tang on Monday addressed the school assembly in Bahasa Malaysia for the very first time.
“Over the last 25 years, I had been serving in different schools, but all were Chinese schools. There, I spoke to my pupils in Mandarin,” he said.
Tang received a letter from the Education Department in December on his posting to this national school.
He thought he would never be transferred to a main stream school, and when it happened, he first doubted his own ability, but he accepted the challenge anyway.
Tang began his career as a teacher in 1981 in SK Nanga Nirok. He went on to teach at five different Chinese schools before being promoted to a headmaster in 1987. He was at SJK(C) Guong Ming before coming to SK Bandaran No. 4.
In struggling Bahasa Malaysia, he told the assembly that he was determined to sharpen his language skills.
He said SK Bandaran No 2 is a double-stream school that uses both Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin. Thus, he would have to use both languages at assemblies.
The school has six Chinese medium classes and 13 BM medium classes for its 369 pupils, of whom 25 were children with Special Needs.
“One of my biggest challenges ahead is to understand the culture of this school,” he said.
Being active in Taekwando, Tang said one of his immediate tasks was to establish a Taekwando club in the school.
“Then there is the need to improve the school’s physical facilities. I see the need to have a proper hall to hold our assembly,” he said.
The assembly was also an occasion to bid farewell to its 3-year headmaster Liong Jun Fuk who had been posted to SJK(C) Uk Daik.
In his speech, Liong said it took two years for him to adapt to the environment of SK Bandaran No.2.
“Everything seemed to be on track by the third year, and out of a sudden, I was told to go to Uk Daik.
“It puzzled me, but I accepted it,” he said, visibly sad to leave the school which had won some Chief Minister’s Special Awards in 2013.